


Moral Support

by StarTokki



Series: 153 Ways To Say I Love You [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Blood, Gen, Minor Injuries, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 14:55:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarTokki/pseuds/StarTokki
Summary: It’s so unfair.Why, of all the people in his life, did something like this have to happen to Mark? Mark, who never lets anyone down; Mark, who does his best no matter how exhausted he is; Mark, who is always there for him whenever he needs or wants him; Mark, who works so damn hard in everything presented to him; his Mark, who has had his back from the very first day they met, even if it means fighting him over his own stubborn pride.





	Moral Support

Tears well up in his eyes as he looks down at the younger male. Mark looks faint from where he lays in his arms, sweat beading on his forehead. His eyes are fluttering as he groans, head lulling from one side to the other as if it’s too heavy for him to hold up. Jaehyun cradles him closer to his chest, arms tightening around the younger male’s frame as if to keep him from slipping away. Mark’s head comes to rest against Jaehyun’s shoulder, and Jaehyun bites his lip to prevent himself from sobbing.

 

There’s so much blood. 

 

He’s never seen Mark look so weak before, never seen him struggle just to open his eyes. It breaks his heart into pieces. Mark is always so strong, stands tall and proud, and Jaehyun would give anything to see him like that once more.

 

It’s so unfair. Why, of all the people in his life, did something like this have to happen to Mark? Mark, who never lets anyone down; Mark, who does his best no matter how exhausted he is; Mark, who is always there for him whenever he needs or wants him; Mark, who works so damn hard in everything presented to him; his Mark, who has had his back from the very first day they met, even if it means fighting him over his own stubborn pride.

 

Life is so unfair.

 

He sees Mark wet his lips, as if to speak, but the words don’t come out. So he pulls Mark closer to himself in the same instance that he leans down to hear the younger male speak. However, he only hears him breathing deeply, chest rattling with wet breaths, as if it hurts to talk - and it probably does. 

 

Jaehyun doesn’t think he could put effort into words right now either, not after everything that has happened to the two of them.

 

There’s a sharp stinging sensation in his eyes as he tries not to let the tears building there fall, but it’s so hard when all he wants to do is cry over his wounded brother. Mark doesn’t deserve this, he’s done nothing but make them proud. It’s too soon for him to leave his side.

 

Mark’s eyes are wet with unshed tears when he finally gains enough strength to open them, but Jaehyun can tell that he’s holding back.

 

“Bro,” Mark begins, slipping into English, as his trembling, uninjured hand reaches up slowly to hold Jaehyun’s soft cheek. He inhales sharply, taking a moment to caress his thumb over the dimple that forms when Jaehyun frowns deeply in distress. Jaehyun always looks so handsome; even this heartbreaking moment proves that, in distress, Jaehyun’s visuals are still unbeatable. “I just want you to know… that you were the best thing to ever happen to me… From the start, we were destined to be.”

 

“Soulmates,” Jaehyun chokes out, clutching desperately at Mark’s cold hand as he presses it firmly against his cheek. He nuzzles it, sniffling to keep himself from crying. His heart is breaking as each second passes. His own words lilting with an accent as he responds in English but he tries to enunciate so that Mark can understand him properly “We’re soulmates, Mark. We’ll always be soulmates. That’s the thing about soulmates, right? They’ll always be together, in our past lives, in this life, and in the next.”

 

“Always,” Mark says confidently, his own eyes welling up even more with tears as he looks up at the older male. His eyes show nothing but love and affection in them, as if Jaehyun is the only thing he sees, the only one part of his world. He blinks and a tear trails slowly down his cheek. “We’ll always find each other, right?”

 

“Always,” Jaehyun repeats, eyes watering and bottom lip wobbling as he tries his best to smile. His smile shakes, the corners of his mouth twitching, but he’s doing his best to look strong for the younger. He doesn’t want Mark to see him break down, to mourn his loss before he’s even gone; he doesn’t want his distress and sadness to be the last thing Mark sees before he leaves him. 

 

If he has to send him off, he’ll send him off with his most handsome smile.

 

Mark smiles up at him in return. He can see how hard Jaehyun is trying for him, and it strikes something in him. The two of them will always be soulmates, there’s no denying their connection, but it’s in this moment that he’s reminded of just how much he loves Jaehyun. 

 

The older male has always been there for him, just as much as he is there for Jaehyun. From the nights where he was so exhausted he couldn’t even take his shoes off, Jaehyun was there to help strip him of his clothes so he could sleep peacefully. Jaehyun was there to wipe off his make-up when he couldn’t even make it to the bathroom before passing out. Jaehyun was there to massage the aches from his body after grueling hours of practice between all of the units he’s part of. Jaehyun was there, with a bowl of warm food and chopsticks and understanding company, late at night when Mark’s recording sessions went on longer than the others members’ because of his own need for perfection.

 

Jaehyun is always there for him, even in his last moments. 

 

“Jaehyun,” Mark croaks out, more tears slipping from his eyes as he looks up at the older male who has always been by his side. “Jaehyun, bro… You know, right? How much I love you?”

 

“Bro,” Jaehyun says, his own tears finally spilling over but the bright smile on his face shows nothing but love and affection. “I know, bro, I know. You know how much I love you, too, right?”

 

Mark nods as he chokes out a quiet ‘yes’, curling further into Jaehyun's warm hold. “I love you so much, bro.”

 

“Bro, me too.”

 

“Please don’t leave me,” Mark says desperately.

 

“Never, bro,” Jaehyun says, pressing their foreheads together as they both cry harder. “I’ll be with you until the end…”

 

—

 

The door to Mark’s room opens then, revealing a freshly showered Dongyoung. He pauses at the door, taking in the scene in front of him, before walking over to his mini fridge without saying anything. There he grabs a few of the bottles he has stocked up, closes the door to the fridge with his foot, and turns to leave without another glance.

 

However, they can both hear him grumbling in a deadpan voice as he walks down the hallway.

 

“It’s a damn  _ papercut _ .”

**Author's Note:**

> Written by Tokki; Edited by Star.
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/StarTokkiAo3)


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